


Does It Ever Get Easier?

by twilightopal



Category: Final Space (Cartoon)
Genre: Drama, Gen, Isolation, MAJOR SPOILERS FOR S2 EP4, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Drama, Psychological Trauma, oH BOY THIS ONE’S A DOOZY
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2019-07-19
Packaged: 2020-07-08 19:37:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19874983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twilightopal/pseuds/twilightopal





	Does It Ever Get Easier?

**Out the window, Little Cato could see the emptiness of the universe**.

It was always his dream to build a ship and travel to planets of all kinds with his dad. There were so many planets that his father had told him about, places filled with mountains, wonders, and all sorts of opportunities for an adventure. These moments were all too few and far in between, and at the time, he never understood his mother's constant reassurance in the fact that he'd be back in a few days—it was something she said all too often. A major Thimbles competition, or just wanting time with the father figure he greatly admired—he never realized why.

**That is, until now**.

From the moment he was imprisoned by the Lord Commander, something inside of him changed. He was always an optimistic kid, lighting up a room when things began to get to sappy. But that light had clearly faded _dramatically_. Tortured, beaten, starved, being practically abused to the highest degree had broken his spirits. Counting each day was pointless—all he could do was plot his escape, and at the same time somehow wait to either be released or magically rescued like in the movies. And he was--but in the end, he came to learn that with every choice someone makes, _comes a price_.

**He got captured, and in the end, he lost what was precious to him**.

Thoughts raced throughout his mind as he looked out that window. The stars looked back at him blankly, and he did the same in return. _Had the past few years began to numb him_?

**Years**. The word rang in his mind. He shook his head, attempting to focus on something else. And yet no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't. Memories of his isolation flashed in his mind. The memories felt almost vivid to him. Some so clear he could describe them in their entirety. He remembered his first day in isolation, a day filled with screams and cries that echoed throughout the ship. Banging on the one thing that could take him back to Gary, his hands aching as he cried out to his team, hoping his cries for help would reach them. But in the end it never did. He cried himself to sleep the first night, and by the seventh night he'd immediately given up. _Was this a punishment for leading his father to death_? All those nights in imprisonment, had it all come to _this_? Was this what fate had in store for him? Only time could tell. On the fifteenth day, he decided to explore the parts of the ship that were available to him. as he ventured to the halls, he saw something— _his room_. For the first time since he'd been trapped, he felt a sense of relief. He quickly opened the drawer to his desk and took out a contraption he'd made in his spare time.

"..."

" ** _Hey, son_**!"

That voice. That familiar voice. From the moment he'd typed those words, tears began to well up in his eyes. He was completely aware that it was him who was typing these words, making the person he held so dearly say these things. But in the end, it's as a person. He'd found a person, a sane person on this ship.

" _Hey, Dad_?"

"... _you'll always be by my side, right_?"

"..."

" _Of course, Little Cato_."

" _We're Catos...we stick together_."

" ** _Always_**."

**And this person would never leave him again**.

Little Cato let out a small laugh. To think that his _father_ of all people would be there for him right now? _Ridiculous_. As he laughed, he could feel the tears pouring from his eyes. He hugged his pillow tight, and cried for what seemed like hours. When it was all over, he looked out the window again. No matter what time of day it was, it seemed that the stars would always stare at him with same blank expression. He turned back to his bed, and let out a sigh.

" ** _Hey, dad_**?"

" ** _You mind if I put this away for a while_**...?"

His words from earlier rang in his head, but by the time they faded he'd already broken that promise. He took out the contraption, and booted it up.

"..."

'Hey, dad?"

"You know I've already been through a lot, but...there's something I need to ask you."

He took a deep breath in, and ahand caressed the keyboard.

" **Does it ever get easier**?"


End file.
